This quarter is almost over - Weeks 10 and 11 are ahead. It is always interesting to me to compare the list of what I wanted to accomplish with what I will finish by the end of term. The Cantonese have a saying: Ngahhn Fut - Tou jaak! Translation: Fat Eyes - Narrow Stomach. It's their version of "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach". A universal meme with application in our world.
I always reach higher than I can achieve. I am addicted to having more than one man can be resonably expected to do. I know where this comes from and I have done my own exploration of how it works and doesn't work in my life. However I have also discovered that I enjoy the challenge. I enjoy being stretched but only if it is my choice. This is the paradox - I am a hard worker but also enjoy my time of doing nothing.
Many students are proud of the fact that they work during the breaks between quarters. The one coming up is one of the long breaks - 2 weeks I believe. The short (1 week) breaks are hardest because after only 1 week I'm just getting in the groove of doing nothing and wham I have to start up again. It's funny to me that one of the "ice-breaker" questions routinely asked at the start of a quarter is "What did you accomplish on your project during the break?" It gives me great pride to answer - "Absolutely nothing - I didn't think about school!" And I think that this is the appropriate answer. The break is there for a purpose and the purpose is to recharge myself and refresh. Last year during break time - I played "Jade Empire" and "Strangers Wrath" all the way through during my evening hours. Loved it!
During the quarters I also routinely play dvd's as I do my work. Last year during the 3 quarters of production on Speed Trap - I watched all 9 seasons of X-files, Alien at least 6 times, same for the Matrix and Lord of the Rings Trilogies as well as the 30 other favorites in my library. These productions are masters classes in the art of visual story telling. I watch them over and over because I really enjoy them and they are inspirational and educational to me as an artist. This is something that I have learned in the past few years - the importance of studying the work I enjoy. I don't subscribe to studying works that other people think, or proclaim to be masterpieces. I study what I like. I study the directors that inspire me...the ones I want to emulate. I have not reached my potential as an artist or a storyteller...and these masters are my tutors.
D_
